The character for which Molière's play,
Tartuffe is named, is a sly and very slick conman. And Orgon, the
foolish and easily swayed man who Tartuffe dupes, makes the con that much easier. The
element that best serves Tartuffe and makes him seem "sincere and well-intended" is his
false href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/piety">piety.
Tartuffe
presents himself as a devout and holy man. Orgon is taken in by this contrived behavior
and thinks his new house guest is a saint. Orgon gets so carried away that he promises
his daughter Mariane in marriage to Tartuffe even though he has given her permission to
marry another man (Valère); he disinherits his son Damis to make Tartuffe his heir; and,
ignores the warnings that friends and family give him. Orgon does not even believe his
wife when she tells him that Tartuffe has tried to seduce her. It is only when she makes
him remain hidden in the same room to witness Tartuffe's advances that he finally is
convinced. By this time, Orgon has be so deceived that Tartuffe has information that can
ruin his "patron."
Perhaps Orgon simply sees what he wants
to see in the character of Tartuffe, but his foolishness is almost beyond comprehension
when Tartuffe is placed above Orgon's own family members. Once he has invested all, as
any conman would wish, he is fortunate in the end that he does not lose everything to
this "seasoned criminal."
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